# Ummm...wtf?!



## Shelley (Aug 17, 2007)

I was bit by a spider this past weekend,, top of my right hand (luckily the bite wasn't on my problem arm) and have been taking antibiotics for 5 days (prescribed antibiotics for seven days)now and they are not helping. The little tiny puncture wound has now opened up into a big lesion, red, gross, greenish-brown fluid leaking onto the band aid. My entire arm cramps up, nauseated, dizzy. Wednesday night I had a temperature. Anyways after the bite occured I headed to a walk in clinic the next day because it was very swollen, nausea, arm cramping etc. I am allergic to penicillan (break out in a rash, feel nauseated) so I was prescribed Erythromycin 3x day.

I keep taking the antibiotics with food etc, not helping. The redness is worse, lesion has grown.

I decided to head to the ER today near my house. I wasn't able to get in to see my family doctor. I hate going to the ER because I feel I am not dying or badly injured, wasting their time.

So the doc looked at my hand, said it looks infected. I told him my arm is cramping, nausea, loss of appetite etc. He asked me why I can't take penicillan. I told him about the rash etc. He said "Do you think you can tolerate the rash if I give you penicillan?" I said "No, I would prefer something else . I don't want a rash." He said "Continue taking the Erythromycin. I don't know much about spider bites. " He left the room, end of it.

The nurse came in, hooked me up to the IV antibiotic. Within minutes I felt odd, nauseated, somewhat itchy. I waited for a bit and realized it was becoming worse, summoned the nurse. She looked at the IV bag and said "Oh my, I gave you penicillan! This was suppose to be for the other patient!" She unhooked everything.

I realize mistakes happen but I felt uneasy with the situation and left the hospital.

Ugh! My arm is cramping. I will continue the antibiotics until they are gone, but in the mean time, my lesion, and redness is worse not better! wtf?

Just ranting!


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## StereoXGirl (Aug 17, 2007)

Yikes! I hope it starts getting better!

I hate spiders...they creep me out!


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## katnahat (Aug 17, 2007)

What kind of spider was it? You may want to go to a doctor that knows more about spider bites. The cramping sounds like a reaction to venom. It sounds like the spider could have been poisonous.

I hope you feel better soon! Update us on how you're doing.


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## BeneBaby (Aug 17, 2007)

I think you should go to the ER. Spider bites can get really bad!!


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## Shelley (Aug 17, 2007)

I'm not sure what kind it was. I remember it was a brown color. As far as I know we do know have dangerous, poisonous spiders in my Province. I know in BC, Alberta there are black widows but not where I live. In hindsight I should have tried to capture it.

You never know, venomous spiders can be carried in through cargo etc.

I did go to the ER, they didn't help. Tomorrow I will try somewhere else.


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## bluebird26 (Aug 17, 2007)

Yikes I hate spiders. Yesterday I got bitten by a mosquito who seemed to be starving to death because it attacked me like crazy and caused a huge and I mean it HUGE bump on my eyelid and chin. I looked like Rocky Balboa after a boxing match




Now I realize I might be allergic to mosquito bites.

I hope you feel better soon and keep an eye on that infection. I can't believe they made that stupid mistake with penicillan!


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## pinkbundles (Aug 17, 2007)

OMG! She's lucky you aren't allergic to penicillan! Sorry about the bite. I hope it's nothing serious.


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## Manda (Aug 17, 2007)

Yikes! I think you should see another doctor, that sounds pretty serious, especialyl if you are having symptoms like that. My sister had a bad spider bite about a year and a half ago but she didn't have symptoms like that. Feel better hun and take it easy!


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## farris2 (Aug 17, 2007)

Thats insane! Any ER DR should know about spider bites


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## chantelle8686 (Aug 17, 2007)

my mum has had a spider bite also, from a white tip spider.

the bite turned into wat ur saying but it was dry around the outside and kinda dipped in like a crater after a day, she went to the hospital and found out she had to get surgery, they had to dig away where it bit so it wouldnt spread, she still has the scares. she was on antibiotic till they could fit her in!!


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## Ashley (Aug 17, 2007)

Oh dear. I think you should try a different ER.


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## Jesskaa (Aug 17, 2007)

I say go somewhere else. I'd rather drive far out &amp; get good help.


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## KatJ (Aug 17, 2007)

OMG, are you serious? What a crock of a dr and nurse. It's a good thing your allergy to penicillan isnt really bad. You poor girl. I hope you get some relief soon.


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## bella1342 (Aug 17, 2007)

I hope you get better soon! Gosh, a spider bite is kinda scary.


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## MissMissy (Aug 17, 2007)

you should post a pic.. i know gross of me.. but i would like to see how bad it is.


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## Aquilah (Aug 17, 2007)

Almost sounds like a Brown Recluse bite (my ex had the same symptoms). Although, I definitely don't know much about spiders short of how to kill them, and I dunno if you even have those in Canada. I'd try to see if you can't have someone else look at your hand, or go back because it's not supposed to be getting worse! Best of luck, and I hope everything's okay soon Shelley!


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## SqueeKee (Aug 17, 2007)

Oh that sucks! You should definitely go to a different ER. That doctor/nurse is a nut.


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## rizzie_x3 (Aug 17, 2007)

both the doctor and the nurse are crazy. you should had file a complaint for that nurse for giving you the wrong medication. that's very unprofessional and could jeopardize someone's life.


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## Sreyomac (Aug 17, 2007)

Ditto...... you should go see a differant doctor..... I think you post a pick too!!!


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## xQueenOfHeartsx (Aug 18, 2007)

yuck spider bites! sounds so scary to go through! the dr is an idiot. I think you need to go to a different one


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## Shelley (Aug 18, 2007)

Update...

I headed to Urgent Care which is different from the ER. UC does not take emergenices like car accidents, heart attacks etc. Giant walk in clinic. Anyways the doctor at the UC was alot better. He said I do have an infection, prescribed me a different antibiotic. The infection has spread into my wrist and forearm. He said by Monday if the infection is the same or worse to come right back in.

The doc said as far he knows we do not have any dangerous spiders in our Province but he said you never know what is around.

At least the UC was alot better.

I took my new antibiotic tonight so hopefully these will help.

Thanks everyone.


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## Savvy_lover (Aug 18, 2007)

u should sue them for giving u the wrong thing after u said ur allergic to it


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## pinksugar (Aug 18, 2007)

what are those people, retarded? and omg, I kind of want to see a photo too!

hope you're doing better hun


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## Shelley (Aug 20, 2007)

Another update...

Unfortunately I am not seeing any improvement. The redness/bruising has spread and the bite is ugly, little blister type things cropping up near the bite, seep etc, gross. The doctor at urgent care told me on Friday that if it hasn't improved to come back on Monday, today. I plan on going in tomorrow morning if I haven't seen a difference over night. Makes me wonder what type of spider bit me.


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## pinksugar (Aug 20, 2007)

maybe you just had a really bad reaction to it.. some people are allergic to certain types of insect more than others..

sorry to hear its not healed up


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## katnahat (Aug 21, 2007)

It sounds like a Brown Recluse. The following is a description of the symptoms of a Brown Recluse Spider bite. These spiders are common in the US and Canada.

*Brown Recluse Bite Symptoms*

Brown recluse spider bites often go unnoticed initially because they are usually painless bites. Occasionally, some minor burning that feels like a bee is noticed at the time of the bite. Symptoms usually develop two to eight hours after a bite. Keep in mind that most bites cause little tissue destruction.

Victims may experience these symptoms:


Severe pain at bite site after about four hours
Severe itching
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Myalgias (muscle pain)
Initially the bite site is mildly red and upon close inspection may reveal fang marks. Most commonly, the bite site will become firm and heal with little scaring over the next few days or weeks. Occasionally, the local reaction will be more severe with erythema and blistering, sometimes leading to a blue discoloration ultimately leading to a necrotic lesion and scaring. 
Blistering (common)
Necrosis (death) of skin and subcutaneous fat (less common)
Severe destructive necrotic lesions with deep wide borders (rare)
Here is a picture of the Brown Recluse:





I also read that doctors often prescribe antibiotics for this spider bite. The article stated that antibiotics do not do anything to help heal the bite. The bite is a reaction to venom. There is no bacteria or virus that causes the after-effects of the bite. The venom is the direct cause of the reaction.

I'm trying to find the link to antibiotic information. I lost the page I read it on. I'm looking.

I really hope you feel better soon!


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## Sheikah (Aug 21, 2007)

OMG I hope you feel better soon and it's nothing serious. I can't believe the amount of ignorance you went through at that ER. Hopefully it'll get better, if it doesn't go right back to the UC.


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## Shelley (Aug 21, 2007)

Thank you katnahat for that information.



The brown recluse spider looks similar to the one that bit me, although I know there are many types of brown spiders. Strange, I contacted the University where I live and they said we do not have brown recluse spiders here.Who knows, spiders and critters can crawl into luggage, cargo, cars etc.

I headed back to urgent care today, different doctor. He looked at the bite said it is ugly and keep taking the antibiotics I am on. I explained to him that the other doctor that I saw this past Friday told me by Monday if I don't see a difference or things are worse to come back in which is why I am here. Doctor today said just keep taking the antibiotics, your bite is strange, keep it covered with gauze.

The main bite is round and ulcer like, but now there are little areas around the bite that are bursting open, similar to small blisters, oozing fluid.

So I guess for now I will wait it out for a longer period, hopefully it will clear up in the next few days. If not I guess I will go somewhere else.

I suppose spider bites are not too common here or maybe docs don't see them that often.


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